Manufacture of hair-springs



(No Model.)

. J. LOGAN.

MANUFACTURE OF HAIR SPRINGS. No. 287,448. Patented Oct. 30, 1883.

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ATENT MANUFACTURE ,OF HAIR-SPRINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 287,448, dated October30, 1883.

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN LOGAN, of \Valtham, county of Middlesex, Stateof Massachu: setts, have invented an Improvement in Manufacture ofHair-Springs, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawingsrepresenting like parts.

My invention relates to a method and apparatus for making hairspringsfor watches, it being intended to produce what is known as the Breguetspring, or one in which the regulator-pins engage a circular portion ofthe spring concentric with the balance-pivot and lying above the planeof the main portion of the spring, it constituting what is called theover-coil. These springs have heretofore been made from an ordinaryspring, in which the coils are all in one plane, a sufficient portion ofthe outer coil being bent by hand to the proper shape to form theover-coil after the spring is otherwise finished and tempered. Thismanipulation requires great skill and training 011 the part'of theoperator, and thus greatly increases the cost of the spring, and thebending operation taking place after the spring is tempered isdetrimental to it.

My present invention consists in first bending the spring to the propershape and subsequently tempering it while held in the said shape 5 andthe invention also consists in a tempering-box adapted to form a springin the desired shapeand retain it so while being ten1- pered.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the temperingbox for making hair-springs inaccordance with this invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation thereof, thecover of the box being removed; Fig. 3, a similar elevation'of the coverby itself, and Fig. 4 a plan view of one of the springs.

The tempering-box a'consists of a metallic cylinder recessed or boredfor a certain depth, and provided with lateral passages I) I), throughwhich the ribbons (preferably three in numher) to form the spring arewound into the said box in the usual manner, the projecting ends of twoof the said ribbons being cut off at the outer surface of the box, andthe said ribbons, when coiled in the box, being retained therein by acover, (1, (shown as provided with a pro- Application filed June 4.1883. (No model.)

jection, d,) entering a notch, 3, in the side of the box a, to hold thesaid cover in definite position with relation to the said box. The mainportion of the three coiled ribbons is thus confined in the box 0 belowthe under surface, 4, of the cover (I, (see Fig. 3,) the upper surfaceof which is provided with a templet or spring-shaping shoulder, e,which, as shown in Fig. 1, begins at a point substantially tangential tothe periphery of the said cover and curves inward by a spiral line, 5,to a certain distance from the said periphery, the remainder of the saidsurface being a curve, 6, concentric with the center of the box a andcover (I. The shoulder or templet e is of graduallydeereasing depth, itbeing substantially the whole depth of the cover at the starting-pointtangential with the periphery thereof, and gradually diminishing indepth, as shown in Fig. 3. The end of the ribbon that is wound inthrough the opening 1/ in the side of the box, instead of being cut offeven with the outside of the said box, is wound around the templet e, toform the over-coil, as shown at i, Fig. 4, of the same shape as the saidtemplet and lying above the plane of the remaining coils of the spring,and the end of the said ribbon is drawn around the stud d 011 the coverof the box (I, as shown in Fig. 1, and by suit-able pliers is pressed inaround the end 7 of the concentric portion 6 of the templet, thusdrawing it tightly around the said templet and securing it in place, theguiding portion of the templet being slightly undercut, as indicated indotted lines, Fig. 1, and in Fig. 3, near the end 7. The three springs,two of ordinary form and one of the Breguet form, are then tempered inthe usual manner, and when removed from the box the over-coil of theBreguet spring will retain the exact shape of the templet e, and isconsequently more accurate than when bent by hand after the spring istempered, and is also of better quality.

The side of the box a is preferably cut away, as shown at 8 on one sideof the opening b,

- through which the ribbon is drawn in, to facilitate the winding of theribbon upon the templet e.

It is obvious that'the said templet 6 may be of any desired shape-as,for instance, passing IOO in a substantially straight line from near thepoint b to the beginning ofthe concentric curve 6.

If desired,-the templet might be arranged for winding more than one ofthe springs contained in the box upon it; but it will generally bepreferable to make only one of each set of springs in this manner, so asto avoid inaccuracies arising from the thickness of the differentsuperimposed coils of ribbon.

I claim 1. That improvement in the art or method of making Breguetsprings, or springs in which the outer coil departs from the plane ofthe spiral curve, forming an over-coil, which consists in coiling aportion of the untempered ribbon that is to form the spring in a spiralcurve, and bending the remaining portion of the said untempered ribboninto the proper shape for the over-coil, thus giving the entire ribbonwhile untempered its ultimate or finished shape or configuration, andsubsequently tempering the said ribbon while retained in the saidultimate shape or configuration, substantially as described.

2. The box for tempering hairsprings, con1- bined with the coverprovided with a templet for shaping the outer or over coil of the ribbonto form the spring previous to its being tempered in the said box,substantially as described.

3. The box provided with openings for the introduction of the ribbons toform the springs, combined with the cover to confine the main portion ofthe coiled ribbons beneath it, provided with a templet on its uppersurface, whereby a portion of one of the said ribbons may be bent andheldin definite shape above the main coiled portions, substantially asdescribed.

4. The box provided with openings for the introduction of the ribbons,and with a notch, 3, combined with the cover having a projection toenter the said notch and a templet or shapingsurface on its upper side,substantially as described.

5. The box provided with inlet-openings for the introduction of ribbons,and having its periphery cut away at the side of one of the saidopenings, combined with the cover provided with a templet, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN LOGAN.

\Vitnesses:

J os. P. LIVERMORE, BERNICE J. NoYEs.

